[Maya] Using "Direct Connection" Scale vs "Scale Constraint"

Rigging
#1

Hi,

I have always had a problem using a scale constraint

For instance, with a base joint scale constrained to a IK/FK joint setup.
It almost always has a double transform even though I ticked off “inherent transform”.

The only way I can get out of this is to have the base joint out of hierarchies, which I am not really comfortable to do. (I.e. instead of Thigh>Knee>Ankle. Thigh, Knee and Ankle will be in the same hierarchy. No parent. No children).

So, I always just direct connection of scale instead with a blendTwoAttr node. It works so far.

But I am being insecure here, and just want to ask if I am doing the right thing?

Thank you for looking at the problem.

#2

to avoid a double scale you may also have to select each joint, go to the attribute editor, open the joint rollout, and uncheck “Segment Scale Compensate”

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#3

Scale constraints are in world space, where as direct connection which passes values relative to the parent space.

The question you should ask is whether the scale needs to be overridden regardless of parent space. If not direct connections and inheritance are fine imo.

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